The History of Lederhosen
Lederhosen - bavarian culture
The Lederhosen means the same to a mountain-dweller as a Kimono to a Japanese or a Kilt to a Scotsman. Just clarify a very common prejudice which is widespread in the whole world: Not every Austrian or Bavarian and especially not every German wears Lederhosen all year long!
Nevertheless in the Alpine regions the Lederhosen is a sign of their Bavarian or Alpine tribe. However it was invented neither by a Bavarian hunter nor by a Tyrolean or Salzburger war hero, since the old Germans and the Romans knew the Lederhosen already.
The leather wear is known from old stories and it seems to trace back to two former prototypes:
The first prototype whose trouser legs were bound together at the ankles were invented by equestrian nations in the antique world and later on adopted by German an Celtic tribes as well as by the Romans.The second prototype consisted of trouser legs that were fixed to a leather jerkin. Later a leather gusset was added to the crutch.
Lederhosen - how they look today
The history of the Lederhosen that we know today started in the Rococo period. During that time it was all the rage in court circles to arrange pastoral weddings, where you have to wear costumes like country people.People like farmer and day labourers wore simple, black Lederhosen, made from sheep skins, which were coloured black by using logwood. The other hand the nobility wore costumes from expensive leather: deer skin from or skin from other Alpine animals like chamois, since the right to hunt these animals was reserved to the nobility.
During the Napoleonic wars and the setting up of the new Austrian empire the dressing played an important role for nationalistic event and festivities. Trying to copy the Bavarian and the Austrian nobility, people from the upper class preferred Alpine costumes or rather the clothing of the hunters which was the Lederhosen. That way the short Lederhosen, also known as Krachlederne, decorated with colourful nature theme embroideries, enjoyed more and more popularity.Yet slowly but surely the short Lederhosen were thrusted aside by the long pants, the urban dressings and the uniforms. Even the country people started ignoring the short Lederhosen.
But there was one man who wanted to prevent this: Joseph Vogl, a teacher from Bayrischzell. He called upon five of his best friends to get a pair of short Lederhosen tailored by the so called "Säckler"". The date was August 25, 1883, a date that was to go down in Bavarian history.
These six young guys from Bayrischzell went with their new Lederhosen to church on Sunday and raised nothing but laugh. The short Lederhosen, that were used for work only, were considered as an offence against the morals, compared to the usual dressings. Even the Catholic Church took a firm stand and dispelled the short Lederhosen from church masses. And the church went even further. In 1913, the archbishop chair in Munich declared the Short-Lederhose-Association immoral. Thereupon Joseph Vogl and his friends from Bayrischzell founded their own club for the preservation of the traditional dress in Leitzachtal and Bayrischzell. They were even supported by a very important person: King Ludwig II.Ludwig was, just like his father, a huge Trachten-fan and inspired by their ideas.Because of new local patriotism among the people and the sudden interest in ancient customs and traditions lots of associations for the preservation of traditional dresses sprang up like mushrooms. The enthusiasm for traditional clothing and especially Lederhosen hit their peak. The Lederhosen were part of any event now: church masses, Fingerhakeln, Plattlerfest.
Lederhosen - regional differences
Every region had its own kind of Lederhosen that differed in the form, the motives and the colours of the embroideries. Bavarian regions for instance were represented by dark brown or black Lederhosen that were decorated by green and yellow embroidery ornaments. Further decoration was the so called Charivari and decorated belly-belts (Ranzengürtel). Typical for the eastern part of Bavaria is the stitching at the back, which is complexly decorated with flower embroidery. Additionally you usually wear Trachten-socks, Trachten-shoes (Haferlschuh) and in Upper Bavaria special socks, called Wadenstutzen or Loferl. The nobility wore simple leather clothing with very little decoration. That means they rather wore tight Kniebund-Lederhosen (knickerbockers). The most famous person who wore Kniebund-Lederhosen from deer skin was King Franz Josef in order to be downstairs.
The Lederhosen hit its peak right after the end of World War I when lots of alpine tourists were absolutely enthusiastic about the new fashion. And they wore the Lederhosen not only in the resort but also in the cities. Furthermore the Lederhosen have spread all over the world because of the Salzburger Festivals, the operetta "Im weißen Rössl" and other artists and authors like Ludwig Ganghofer and Ludwig Thoma. And exactly during this period the typical Sepplhose (a very short type of Lederhosen, coloured grey and beige) was invented that was supposed to symbolise free time and wanderlust.
After World War II many parents were glad to have Lederhosen for the kids. But soon the Blue Jeans by Levi Strauss trusted the Lederhosen aside, step by step.As a sop to every Lederhosen fan’s pride one fact needs to be mentioned: Levi Strauss, the inventor of the Blue Jeans was Bavarian as well who immigrated to the USA.
